Audio Pro Addon C5A with Alexa built-in, Wireless, Bluetooth, Smart Speaker with Multi-room – Grey

Product Information

The bugs are neither constant nor devastating, but the odd stutter and hang – particularly when pairing or splitting speakers – gets annoying in a short time. These are limited to optical and analogue auxiliary - though with a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable included, connecting to pretty much any existing set up could hardly be easier. Setting up the speaker for the first time with Wi-Fi is very easy, you can choose to do so with the Audio Pro Control app, Google Home or Apple Home. For the purposes of this test, I used both the Audio Pro Control app and Google Home.

All the controls for the speaker are located on a metal panel on the top. These are all clearly labelled, so it doesn't take long to get to grips with them. They also have a satisfying "clunk" to them when pressed; they are a world away from the cheap plastic buttons you find on many other speakers. There's also a separate panel for the built-in Alexa feature, with an LED strip to tell you when the C5A is listening and a button to manually mute the microphone.It's a combination of factors. Sonos has been in the game for a long time, so it's built up a reputation. Its ecosystem is one of the most comprehensive out there, with all the main streaming apps and services covered, and an 'everything just works' approach. There are two more ways to connect to the speaker, through Bluetooth or alternatively through a wired connection. The Audio Pro C5 Mk II has ports for RCA although the necessary cable isn't included in the box, and you can even hook up a separate subwoofer to it, although there’s no auxiliary port for a 3.5mm audio cable. As a rule, we do comparative testing – ensuring new products are tested against their rivals according to product type, features and price. Almost all the testing is carried out by our team of expert reviewers at our dedicated test rooms.

Though there is a pair of unknown quantities in the Audio Pro line-up as far as we’re concerned – the Addon C-Sub can help those smaller speakers delve deeper into the low frequencies, while the A40 is set to receive a wider release following its design for the company’s 40th anniversary– our time spent with the rest of the company’s speakers allows us to confidently celebrate it as the best-sounding multi-room suite available for the money. Each comprises the 'koala bear' driver configuration that has become these speakers’ distinguishing feature, with a pair of 2cm soft dome tweeters and mid/bass drivers (and reflex ports, incidentally) growing in line with the cabinet. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Audio Pro C5-A, more lengthily titled ‘Audio Pro AddOn C5-A Wireless Voice-Controlled Speaker’, is a versatile take on the original Addon C5 model, with an increasingly wider universe of connectivity and convenience – combining modern ‘Alexa’ virtual assistant technology with an already-high spec domestic speaker for the trendy home user. The functionality of multi-room is aided with a custom-made app, curated in-house by Audio Pro themselves: Audio Pro Multi-room; somewhat self-explanatorily. The C10 MKII is a 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award-winner, and boy did it earn that accolade. With multiple streaming and multi-room options thanks to Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and the Audio Pro app, multiple inputs (including RCA and 3.5mm aux in) and arguably the nicest design of all the brand's speakers, the C10 MKII looks as good as it sounds. And it sounds rather lovely courtesy of some big steps up in clarity, bass tautness and refinement over the previous iteration. Clear, balanced sound with a wide soundstage makes for superb listening. It’s powerful and punchy enough for a party but without breaking glass or shaking walls. Lyrics come through clearly and aren’t at all overwhelmed by the bass, making for a very pleasant and precise sound. But it’s important to point out the Audio Pro is far from the most limited multi-room app out there, and its occasional bug and rudimentary nature is forgivable when you consider the price and sound quality of the speakers it's controlling.

Both Bose and Sonos offer speakers and soundbars that can talk to each other wirelessly to create a multi-room system. Our tests have shown Sonos' devices have come out on top overall, thanks to the reasons listed above. But Bose does make some excellent speakers, while its noise-cancelling headphones are some of the best in the business. DON'T BUY SONOS is the only advice I can offer. I don't know what else to get; the options you gave were really limited. Unsurprisingly, that’s one of the first things that jumps out when we switch the A10 on. We love the directness of its siblings, but the versatility and sheer spread of sound here is to be admired. It doesn’t have quite the unwavering focus, nor the sheer weight in the low end, but we can move around our test room and still be treated to the same high quality sound. This includes a clever process where the speaker uses in-built sensors to optimise its sound settings for its position in the room. Testing the feature by moving it closer to a wall in our listening room, our reviewers could hear the HomePod 2 adjusting its sound in real-time. Very impressive.Sonos is rumoured to be working on a pair of wireless headphones, so who knows, there might be less to separate these two brands in future... It is the use of a BMR, or Balanced Mode Radiator, tweeter that is most canny, however. Among its many benefits, this flatter-faced driver has the ability to offer wider dispersion than a traditional tweeter – up to 180º in fact – and so can make the most of the A10’s cylindrical form, making it far less fussy when it comes to positioning.